LIBER CONJUNCTUS / LIBER TWO

Being an Essay on Sex and Sex Magick by Frater Nigris


Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
THe word of Sin is Restriction.

--------------------
SEX

Sex begins and ends at Conception.  For those loving people who have
chosen to so Conceive, the lustful Penetration, the willing Acceptance
has its finale when Sperma conjuncts Ovum.  The Fruit of this Union
transforms the relationship that an individual has with hirself.  This
is not meant to imply that Conception is the OBJECT of Sex.  While
this may be true in a limited sense, it is also overly simplistic.
Conception is no more the Goal of Sex than Death is the Goal of Life.
While both are transformative events, and, given enough time and
opportunity will surely occur, it is a mistake to think that either is
the only goal of the activity so performed.

There are exceptions, however.  Suicidal and procreative people do, in
fact, exist (we call them 'Breeders'), and it is their passion which
drives the social machine of our day.  Martyrdom and Puritanism are
often looked at as the ideal.  Such personally empowering mechanisms
as egotism and Sex Magick are anathemas to all but a few of the
general population.

Yet the exceptions do not make the rule, and in no circumstance do
those whose Goal IS solely conception engage in what is described here
as 'Sex'.  Theirs is a mechanical function, played out amidst
repugnance at their intimate comingling and the horrid perceptions of
their forms.  To call this 'Sex' is like calling lying comatose in a
hospital bed 'Life'.  It may be functionally true, but the experience
is certainly not related.

When speaking of Sex, it is assumed to be FOUNDED on intimacy and,
between people, begins at the first glimpse, smell, sound or touch.
Our perceptual sphere comes into contact with a body, which, we tend
to assume, is not ours.  We develop some relationship between
ourselves and the other.  The experience of that relationship and the
subjective results of it are included in the broadest personal
understanding of the term 'Sex'.

The Sexual Act takes place from the first encounter to the concluding
resolution.  It is only the formal dance of conjugation which the
unevolved take as its entirety.  Since we often identify with our
form, it is no surprise that those who have not learned to see beyond
it take Sex for less than it truly is.

There is Sex in everything from the crisp salute to the angry brawl;
from the gentle caress to the enraged gunshot; from the casual
handshake to mutual masturbation.  From the impersonal exchange of
goods to the ecstatic orgasm, sex is made of human relations and the
experience of these.

It is also the translation of boundaries - psychological and physical.
To the extent that we are unaware or unconcerned about our relations,
so also is Sex no longer meaningful to us.  While we may be hip deep
in the throes of coitus, our insensitivity makes this Unification a
necrophilic exercise, whether or not our partner understands our
Thanatic state.

Intent determines Sexual meaning, both to those with whom we engage
and to ourselves.  When I am open, attracted and sincere, I have the
most to give and to receive.  Indeed, the most potentially moving
experience within Sexuality derives from a willingness to interact
honestly.


MAGICK

This, Will, is the connection between Sex and Magick and determines
how the latter Tool may be used to affect our Sexuality.  Their
product, Love, is no different than Will in essence.  It is only the
form or expression which distinguishes One from the Other.

Magick takes many forms, though its essence remains consistent.
Crowley's definition of it leaves little to be added.  "The Science
and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will" is vague
enough to be inclusive and specific enough to be meaningful, but how
does it relate to Sexuality?

The responses to this question are numerous.  Opinions, perspectives,
vary tremendously and most of them contain some truth.  The challenge
is really to find some way to meaningfully associate the two without
over-generalizing; to discover useful expressions that include their
complexity while limiting their signification.  To do this it seems
best to approach the subject within the Realms of Sexuality and to
examine how the Tool of Magick may be used in context.

Alternatively one could examine the qualities of the Tool itself in
order to discover its potential, though this seems overzealous.  One
does not go around hitting things with a hammer in order to learn
Carpentry.  One holds one's tools in reserve, and, when the task of
connecting two boards with a nail appears necessary, one selects the
appropriate Tool for the Job.  Over time the effective tools for each
Task become known.

This is also the case for Magick, which involves the selected use of
intent. Enough has been written about Magick that we may undertake an
examination of the Sexual Realms in which it may be applied.


SEX MAGICK

Sex Magick is an intimatic Tool. It must be practiced in order to be
mastered. The details of its form and function can be studied and
memorized. Yet if they are not applied they will never be
comprehended. It is comparable to learning ABOUT bowling without ever
trying it. Putting techniques into practice is really the object of
the study, and refraining from this is the height of Folly, given
means and opportunity.


The Realm of Casual Interaction

We begin at casual interaction.  Those who work with objects, such as
mechanics, construction workers and service technicians are included
within this realm. Strangers, business acquaintances, official
contacts and professional services are examples of social
relationships which are also included here.  In many ways this is the
practical, formal aspect of Sexuality. Magick applied at this level
becomes an agent of politics; a means of securing some desired end, a
direct Current, linking intent with activity.

When one functions as a cause of change in the realm of objects and
social systems there is a high degree of visibility which accompanies
this role. The one who handles the ball most often in a game (i.e. the
pitcher) is more likely to be the focus of notoriety.  The delivery
person whom one sees on a daily basis establishes the tangible
relationship between the company and you, the Customer.

Magick in the Realm of Casual Interaction is thus more often lauded by
the social group which serves as its witness.  This has its
difficulties in that the role itself often becomes highlighted, set in
stark contrast to the context in which it takes place.  Those who
accept such a position take the risk of identifying themselves AS the
role; of losing themselves in the character of the Cause, rather than
remaining as the instrument of Cause Itself.  This may lead to
disempowerment and disillusion, which has the unfortunate repercussion
of disappointing the Customer and the added distinction of being
dismissed from the Job (in terms of service).

What IS Magick within this Realm?  As we shall see, Magick is both an
inner and outer skill set.  With regard to objects and social systems,
Magick is the ability to communicate effectively and in a timely
fashion what one desires.  It is also the ability to respond to
fluctuating environments, while acting as Authority.

Some important elements of Magick in this Realm include listening
carefully, knowing how and when to express oneself (some call this
'tact'), understanding the nature of social systems, and being
physically fit.

The most important element of Sex Magick, however, is not the rite or
vehicle that one uses to achieve the Goal, but awareness - of oneself
and others.  This cannot be overstated, and applies to all Realms of
Sexuality.  Awareness is really the intersection of the two.  It is
the substratum from which both Sex and Magick derive value.

In social systems one uses one's awareness not only to determine the
nature of the system and the best means of interacting with it, but
also to distinguish the best approach toward each individual with whom
one has dealings.

Regarding the manipulation of objects and the facilitation of social
services, awareness of oneself is the key.  Both of body and
character, self-awareness allows one to foresee obstacles which would
forestall the ignorant.  If nothing else, awareness highlights one's
limitations and brings to awareness our need for aid in order to
achieve success.


The Realm of Personal Relationships

We proceed to the Realm of Personal Relationships.  Common interests
and mutual respect bring people together over an extended time period.
Whether this be in the workplace, at home, or in the Lodge, the Realm
of Personal Relationships encompasses those contacts which have
duration and some depth, be it mild or extended.

At this level, Magick becomes a Tool for resolving conflict and
discovering inspired cooperation.  Those who first attempt this
practice face the same difficulty as those in the World of Social
Systems, in the Casual Interaction Realm.  One faces the danger of
confusing people's ideas about one's role (i.e. Mother, Worker,
Friend, etc.) with oneself.

This relates to how roles have become associated with classes of
people.  Women have traditionally cared for home and children, and it
is often assumed that women ARE Caretakers, 'Housewives'.  Immigrants
moved into lower-paid positions in the economies of their new home,
and it is often assumed that such people ARE Servants and Cleaners,
'Blue Collar Workers', and 'Field Hands'.

Among family and friends this occurs more subtlely.  One hosts a
series of parties and it is assumed that one IS a Social-Hub, a
Caterer, a Hostess.  One listens to the complaints of others and it
becomes assumed that one IS a Sounding Board.

This is a natural process of association which serves Society well,
yet carries with it a number of pitfalls for the unwary individual.
Besides identifying with the role oneself, one may be encouraged to
over-extend oneself unhealthily.  To others one BECOMES the role of
The Source, rather than a person who has limited resources with which
to serve.  While the person lasts it may be a very painful path.

A dynamic of expectation may arise in which failure to perform the
prescribed role may result in social pressure and, in extremity,
ostracization.  Personal Relationships are a Dark Sword of Sharpness,
moving in such subtlety as to barely be noticed.  They have the
capacity to both fulfill our desires and keep us seeking fulfillment
through our relationships.

Magick is both the ability to perform one's roles without assuming
that they are a lasting element of one's Inner Character, and the
ability to shift roles - to move from one role to another in both time
and environment.

Examples: During the day, the working woman may play the Dynamic
Corporate Executive, who is strong, assertive and demanding, while at
night she is comforting, supportive and accepting of her children as
she shifts to the role of the Attentive Mother.  The ability to shift
roles in regular or irregular periods of time is Magick.

The aspiring fast-food employee may have played the servile, obedient
Checker for years.  Suddenly he finds that it is his turn to play the
forceful Supervisor, inspiring conformity to company standards.  The
ability to shift positions of psychic character, based on social
roles, cultural and geographic environments, is also Magick.

What does this have to do with 'Sex Magick'?  Well, remember that
every nuance of a personal relationship is loaded with significance.
One is generally unaware of most aspects of communication.  Both the
scope of Sexuality and the symbols of which Magick makes use involve a
vast continuum of collective communications.  This continuum may be
compared to Jung's 'collective unconscious', within which one may find
Adeptship quite valuable.

In that Sex is much more than penetration, so is Sex Magick much more
than a bodily-oriented rite.  It extends, both symbolically and
experientially, to include all of our social exchanges, ranging from
the powerfully practical to the sublimely symbolic.

Some important elements of Magick in the Realm of Personal
Relationships include being carefully observant (in order to perceive
subtle communication cues), knowing how another's position feels and
relates to one's own, understanding the nature of personality, and
being emotionally stable.

Again, the most important element is awareness.  The dance between
people - whether strangers or lovers - is most enjoyably entertained
by those who know themselves and are willing to know others.

When speaking of role-shifting, awareness allows one to know the value
of roles, when one is changing roles, and where oneself ends and the
role begins.  It also helps to more precisely define the roles
themselves, aiding immeasurably in conflict resolution.


The Realm of Intimacy

The third Realm of Sexuality includes, yet is not solely composed of,
what is commonly associated with the term 'sex'.  It is the Realm of
Intimacy, and can extend to include the previous Realms, depending
upon one's attitude and lifestyle.

There is no designated time and place for intimacy.  Some people
experience it on a regular basis, some never do. Whether we call those
with whom we share such experiences 'Lovers', 'Friends', 'Family' or
simply 'Kin', Intimacy is the Goal toward which our awareness propels
us.

Magick is the means of extending the Realm of Intimacy to include the
other two Realms.  It is the Tool by which we may become intimate with
any and all we meet.  It is the Unitive Cause of the release of
boundaries.

This can be a fearful practice at first.  Imagine living in one place
all your life and then releasing your hold on it, setting off for an
uncharted land.  Anything is possible when Intimacy is embraced,
including getting hurt or lost.

Vulnerability is the key to Intimacy, yet one needn't expose oneself
unduly to become vulnerable. The process can be a very slow and
careful one for those with much concern or fear.

The danger here is a release of boundaries before one is ready for the
experience.  One may feel overly exposed and risk great pain.  One may
begin to confuse another's boundaries with one's own and therefore
lose sight of one's identity.

Magick in the Realm of Intimacy amounts to an ability to open oneself
to Love.  It is the manipulation of personal boundaries so as to no
longer be conceived by them.  This may take the form of adopted
structure (e.g.  role-playing).  It may simply be the practice of
'letting go', of acting without assumed roles.  In either case the
Goal is the same - freedom from constraints (those learned and/or
imposed).

Important elements of such Magick include being honest, knowing when
to yield and approach, understanding the differences between social
and personal reality, and being intellectually flexible.

Awareness functions in Intimacy as a means of avoiding the confusion
which often results from shared boundaries.  Knowing where one stops
and another begins is very important when individual problems or
persistent patterns arise.  Isolating such factors can lead to a
greater understanding of those with whom one engages and a more
balanced perspective about oneself.


The Realm of Identity

There is one more Realm of Sexuality included here.  It is not often
considered Sexual, excepting the occasional Alchemical or Tantric
reference, though it is certainly Sexual in nature.  This Realm is
called Identity.

We tend to think of ourselves as a unified, coherent whole, when in
fact we are often no more than a jumble of sensations, emotions and
thoughts, vying for the attention of an anxious and confused Observer.

The social and personal roles, the shifting, impenetrable or
nonexistent boundaries between ourselves and others, sets up an
environment in which Identity is impossible to coalesce.  Some rigidly
adhere to a self-concept, while the hope of coming to any sort of
self-knowledge is constantly shattered for some by an inability to
maintain a distinction between oneself and all else.  At the extremes,
the former devolve into stagnation, while the latter are reduced,
through constant exposure, to fragments and shadows.

Regardless of whether we see ourselves as a 'Consciousness', 'Spirit',
'Soul', 'Lifeforce' or 'Body', the 'I' is a psychological Mystery
which defies the best analysis of psychologists and mystics the world
round.

Wherein enter Magick?  Magick, at the level of Identity, involves the
translation OF or absorption IN the boundaries between ourselves and
others.  It essentially consists of becoming able to realize the
Unity, the Identity of All.  In this sense the Realm of Sexual
Identity may include the previous Realms just as the Realm of Sexual
Intimacy includes that of Casual Interaction.  Taken to its greatest
extent, Intimacy LEADS to Id entity.

Magick at the level of Identity is a very powerful and therefore
dangerous undertaking.  One is likely to find the failure rate far
higher here than in the other Realms.  Using the example of quitting
our familiar surroundings, imagine that one begins to be unable to
distinguish the 'familiar' from the 'unknown'; 'home' from 'abroad'.
If venturing away from home is frightening, just imagine what sort of
fear results from having our home vanish before our eyes!

Of course it is only the THREAT of this that is troubling.  The actual
analogy is better expressed as the house dissolving and Universe
becoming our Home.  This is a difficult thing to contemplate.  Ask an
agoraphobic to leave their domestic protection and see how fast they
recoil!

Elements important for Magick in the Realm of Identity include being
passionate, knowing oneself completely, understanding that the
difference between success and failure is one we choose in openness
and ignorance, and, being intuitively skilled.

As always, but especially here, awareness is crucial.  It is used not
only to isolate and absorb fragments of oneself, but also to
distinguish between real and illusory dangers in the pursuit of
self-transformation.


The Great Work

What IS self-translation and how does it relate to 'Sex-Magick'?  This
is really the most difficult question of all.  The event is seen in so
many ways and from such diverse perspectives that no answer can be
complete.  It is given many names, however, in attempts to convey the
gravity and character of the experience.  'Enlightenment',
'awakening', 'realization', 'perfection', and 'liberation' are just a
few examples.

It is associated with the mystical processes of all religions and
therefore with the goals and ideals set forth by these.  It is perhaps
best described here as 'integration', and involves the orientation,
the coalescence of the individual personality into a self-transcendant
state of perfect awareness.

Many claim that it is as much Cosmological as Psychological, as much
Social as Personal.  Yet this is difficult to comprehend.  It is as if
all the positives and negatives within some Universal Formula suddenly
found their places and resolved the Entirety.

It is as much associated with divinity as it is with humanity, some
asserting that it is the intersection or fusion of these two.  In
occult circles it is often called the Great Work, and this phrase
carries many meanings.

The integration of the Self may be compared directly to the uniting of
two or more individuals, physically or psychologically.  To the extent
that a community forms a social whole without fragmentary left-overs,
so may this comparison become an Identity.  Such an integration begins
within one of more individuals and grows, crystalline-like, extending
throughout the fabric of society.

It is obvious, then, why such an endeavor is considered 'Sex Magick'.
The individual, swimming through the forces of social relations at
once penetrates and accepts a re-orientation which has such lasting
effects as to radiate beyond the event.  At once a new 'Order' is
Conceived and the whole is consumed by a desire to manifest the Child
of Union.

The fact that an individual becomes a catalyst for such an event makes
it Magical, and it is exceedingly difficult to know which actions,
rightly performed, will lead to such a Supreme Goal.

Indeed, it is said that the Goal is either reached in every moment or
it is never reached at all.  Perhaps this relates to one meaning of
Creation:


                The continuous copulation of God and Goddess,
                who are each and every pair of opposing forces
                throughout Universe.


The Great Work, Conception, would appear to be the Universal Process
Itself, catalyzed by the passionate advance and retreat of the skilled
Mage and fructified by the response of Cosmic Beauty, the First Cause.

Invoke me under my stars.     Love is the law, love under will.

I am I!

Frater (I) Nigris (666) 333
(C) 1993
Tyagi@HouseofkaoS.Abyss.com
Tyagi Nagasiva
871 Ironwood Drive
San Jose, CA 95125